‘A tale as old as time ...’
In a small town in rural France, a young woman, Belle, is more
interested in the tales she reads in books than the ones her suitors tell
her. But when her father mysteriously goes missing, Belle discovers a
story stranger than any she has encountered before. In an abandoned
castle, a fallen prince is consumed by his beastly visage with only the
faded household for company. Will Belle be able to save the prince from
himself? Based on Disney’s 1992 musical film version, the gothic fairy
tale of Beauty and the Beast will cast its spell once more ...
There’s another side to the tale however, one much more interesting,
much more spectacular, much more spellbinding. It is the tale of those
behind the scenes: the blood, sweat and tears put into costumes,
lighting, the actors themselves and the hours and hours of work
put in that remains a mystery to the world.
A mystery no longer!
Now we go behind the scenes to see what made Brigidine College
St Ives’ musical Beauty and the Beast happen!
Based on the 1991 Disney film, with music written
by super star composer Alan Menken (AKA The guy
who wrote most of the scores for Disney films for
the last 20 years), and lyrics by Howard Ashman
and Tim Rice.
It is the 8th longest running production in history
having run for 5461 shows on Broadway between
1994 and 2007. With such a reputation behind the
musical they were performing, Brigidine’s musical crew
had quite a lot to live up to! And live up to it, they did.
What was interesting was how original Brigidine’s
version of the show was. There was very much the
wish from everyone who took part in the musical to
be a little bit different from any other interpretation
of this classic.
I was luckier than most that my role as Roving
Reporter gave me back-stage access to see the
inner workings of the musical - the little quirks
that stamped every single bit of the musical with
that little something extra that screams, ‘Brigidine
College St Ives’ Musical crew made me!!!’, even
though it is quite a mouthful to say it.
I had an amazing time at the musical and while the
video can never match watching the show
live on stage, I hope that
you too could see a little
bit of the magic that
I, and so many other
people experienced.
reporter
A ROARING SHOW
Amanda in Year 11 at Brigidine
College in St Ives, NSW, reports in
from the school’s stage production
of Beauty and the Beast.
Beauty and the Beast
ISSUE 22 JUN-JUL 2014
Members of the Chorus
Annelies as Gaston
L - R Katherine and Maddie
as the Beast and the Belle
Amanda (Year 11) from Brigidine College in St
Ives, NSW is our Roving Reporter for this month.